When children are learning to write for the first time, help at home is essential. You want to help them get the hang of writing, but do you have no idea where to start? No worries. Here's six tips that will help your kids get the hang of writing.
1. Make it fun
Many children may not show any interest in writing at all. Some parents feel the answer is to buy workbooks and have their children quietly work on them. However, think about how interesting that would be for your child. No wonder they're not interested!
Instead, make writing fun. Try writing in different mediums first, to give your child the message that writing is one of the most fun things they can do. For example, use shaving foam to create a canvas, and 'write' the child's name in it with your finger. You can also use Lego or other building bricks to create letters, or even finger paints.
2. Focus on their name first
Don't worry too much about getting the whole alphabet down before your child even starts school. Instead, focus on the child's name. This is easy for them to remember, and they'll love being able to sign their own name on cards and letters!
When teaching this to your child, try not to teach them to write it all in all caps first. It may seem easier, but it's a very difficult habit to break once they reach school.
3. Use gold pencils and grips
Many children appear to have messy handwriting, but it could be the pencils that are to blame. They're often too big for the child's hand, so they can't balance it properly as they write.
The solution is to find smaller pencils, or get grips for the ones they have. Golf pencils, or pencils from certain furniture stores, are just the right size for small hands. A grip can be bought from any school supply store.
4. Don't panic if they write backwards
Many children may start writing their letters backwards when they're first learning to write. This isn't a reason for panic, though. It's very common, and it can be corrected. Try buying a small blackboard with a wooden border. Mark the top left corner as the starting corner, and have your child practice their letters on it. The border will stop them from writing the wrong way.
5. Make a game out of making letters the right size
Some children find it difficult to write their letters at a proportionate size. As a result, their letters are often huge. Make a game out of getting them to write smaller letters. Ask them to write their letters on a piece of construction paper, fitting in as many as they can. They'll be able to see that space is limited, and they'll have to write their letters smaller to fit them in.
6. Make a 'spacekid'
If your child has problems leaving the right amount of space between words, then have them make a 'spacekid'. give them a clean popsicle stick and ask them to draw a person on it. Then, when they write, ask them to place it at the end of a word. They can then start the next word on the other side, so they leave enough space. With enough practice, they'll be able to do this without the tool.
It's easy to teach children how to write, if you make it fun for them. Show them how much they can do if they can write, and let them explore different methods.